Leigh Halfpenny might have been a spectator as the Lions clinically out-muscled the Barbarians in Hong Kong – but was the biggest beneficiary of the tour opener.

For it’s pretty clear after 80 minutes of rugby played in extreme humidity that the ponderous Owen Farrell is out of his depth and first-choice outside-half Jonny Sexton isn’t the most reliable of place-kickers.

About the only thing that hot-head Farrell has going for him is his place-kicking, as the rest of his game certainly isn’t up to Lions standard.

Sexton is set to be the main man at No.10 but Warren Gatland, as seasoned union observers already knew, can’t rely on the boot of the Irishman to put over match-winning kicks at goal. The three-Test series with Australia could come down to a single pressure kick and Halfpenny is among the best in the world at dealing with such mental examinations.

Just look at how a penalty from the New Zealand great Dan Carter allowed the Crusaders to snatch a 23-22 victory over the Waratahs in the Super 15 tournament last Friday.

The Waratahs still got a chance to regain the spoils – their performance in Christchurch highlighted the scale of the contests facing the Lions Down Under – but Berrick Barnes’ final kick sailed wide.

As Halfpenny took a breather, the nine Welshmen who started against a Barbarians team overwhelmed at forward all came out of a match played in stifling 83% humidity with credit.

Leigh Halfpenny impresses with his strength as George North keeps a watchful eye

Scrum-half Mike Phillips might have been named man of the match for his two tries and sizzling running, but Jamie Roberts, Justin Tipuric of Toby Faletau could easily have got it.

Tipuric is some player and possesses one of the best rugby brains in world rugby with his drawing of defenders and timing of the pass quite exceptional.

His ability to operate as an accomplished “second scrum-half” freed up Phillips for regular use as a ball-carrier around the fringes, the big No.9’s arcing snipes causing havoc. Everyone wants the Lions captain Sam Warburton to recover from the knee injury which is keeping him out, but you already suspect a place must found in the Test back-row for the non-stop Tipuric.

The platform was provided by the scrum but the amount of sweat running off the players making the ball greasy and difficult to handle.

Adam Jones, the Lions’ scrummaging rock in South Africa four years ago, had his pal Paul James in strife when they packed down, although the Barbarians’ cause at shove-time wasn’t helped by having a small hooker in Schalk Brits.

It was great to see Wales hooker Richard Hibbard fit again, although his left knee was heavily strapped, and he generally did well carrying out the Lions’ favourite ploy of throwing long to Toby Faletau or Dan Lydiate at the lineout.

Faletau was hugely impressive with his high work-rate and soft hands that allow him to off-load, while Lydiate was at his destructive best.

The centre pairing of Roberts and Jonathan Davies combined effectively and both showed some deft skills rarely seen on Wales duty. Put Roberts in a Lions jersey and, for some reason, he’s a different player.

Perhaps it’s the history or the inspiration of those that have gone before him, but he goes up a level.

Brian O’Driscoll and Manu Tuilagi already know they are in a battle to win the Test jerseys from the Welsh pair. What was also interesting was that substitute George North, normally a winger, was used at as a battering ram in the centre. A sign of things to come, maybe?

Right-wing Alex Cuthbert didn’t see much of the ball during the first hour, but when it finally headed his way he showed his lethal finishing with a brace of touchdowns.

The second was created by a beautiful and an almost un-noticed cut-out pass of real quality from Sexton and, in all, seven of the Lions’ eight tries came from Welshmen.

Alun Wyn Jones grabbed the last of them and he made a significant impression, one that skipper-for-the-day Paul O’Connell will be only too aware of.

Skilled lock Richie Gray put down a marker for future battles, but his fellow Scots Sean Maitland and Stuart Hogg couldn’t capitalise on some promising positions.

Dynamic Irishman Cian Healy showed up far more at loose-head than the prop he replaced, Mako Vunipola, and you have to wonder, even at this early stage, how many Englishmen are going to make Gatland’s starting Test team.

Tom Croft perhaps? What would the English press make of that if it was to happen?

Of course, there’ll be twists and turns and injuries along the way – but it already looks like this tour could develop into a real Celtic festival. The standard has been set.

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I had to smile when I saw Warren Gatland had caused a storm in Australia even before he arrived Down Under.

Gatland, as is his wont, mischievously claimed an Australian Super 15 franchise had head-hunted him even though he is contracted to Wales until the end of the 2015 World Cup.

Melbourne Rebels, the only team openly in the market for a new coach, insisted it wasn’t them, leading to speculation in Australia that Gatland might have already started the mind-games for which he is notorious.

Any team wanting his services must first approach the Welsh Rugby Union, something Welsh sources insist hasn’t happened.

Disappointingly, Gatland’s Lions are likely to face a weakened Western Force in Perth on Wednesday.

That’s because the Force have a vital Super 15 clash against fellow Australian franchise the Waratahs just four days later.

Force coach Michael Foley, the Wallabies’ hooker when they lifted the 1999 World Cup and beat the 2001 Lions, has called up a number of inexperienced players.

“This is like back-to-back Test matches in four days for us,” declared Foley, the former Bath coach who is a protege of ex-Cardiff boss Alex Evans.

“No rugby team would schedule two games as important as these so close together, but we would never turn them down.

“I’ve got players wanting to play in both games, that’s how important it is to them.

“But why wouldn’t they want to, the chance to play the Lions only comes round every 12 years.

“It is a big occasion for all the players and we are keen to tackle the challenge as a squad.

“My memory of the 2001 Test series is how unbelievably intense it was.”